Okay, six months ago I began experienced the most excruciating pain, fevers, chills, gut wrenching back & upper abdominal pain. I went to the doc, she gave me some pill for acid indigestion. The pain became less acute and the chills more manageable. More or less I was in pain all day, but wasn't rolling around my bed in agony and shivering uncontrollably. So I made a doctors appointment for the following week. Then about 5-6 days later, I was writhing in agony again, shivering one night, the next morning I woke up with a severe pain also in my pelvic area, this was also the day of my doctors appointment. I did a urine test which had RBC and WBCs, also she said the blood test she ordered the previous week and shown signs of an infection. She said I had a kidney infection. I went home with a week long prescription of Cipro. It made me feel better, but the day after I went off of it the pain started in my back, soon to follow was a low grade fever, I went back and left with another antibiotic this time 10 days on a sulfa antibiotic. Once again I started to feel better, went off of it, and it returned. My regular doctor was on vacation so I saw another in her practice, I told him I was previously diagnosed with a kidney infection, and about the flank pain. He said I had a bladder infection as my pee test only showed elevated WBCs this time. I got two weeks of Macrobid. He referred me to a urologist.
During that two weeks on macrobid I went for a regular pelvic and kidney ultrasound --- no significant findings (reassuring). Once I went off the macrobid---that knawing flank pain and fatigue returned. Went to my regular doctor and she put me on Macrobid indefinitely. This is Canada, and while healthcare is free wait times are ridiculous----my urology appointment is in FEBRUARY and I was referred in July.
Since I have been on the macrobid I have experienced intermittent symptoms, the same kidney pain will come and go. And I have found it harder and harder to urinate as time passes. Meaning now I will sit on the toilet for like 10 minutes before I can urinate, and the stream is very sporadic and weak. Sometime when I have a hot shower, afterwards I can urinate easier. Right now I am having quite a bit of flank pain. I also find it very difficult to wake up in the morning. Sometimes my urine smells strong, or at time I can see little floaties, no mucus or anything. I have never had burning with urination, or urgency issues. I have frequent headaches, and once in a while have vision disturbances. A blood test at the very beginning came back with slightly elevated blood protein....she said it was barely above normal (didn't seem concerned). The urine culture showed a bacteria (it is susceptible to the macrobid)

As for herbal remedies I have tried Uva Ursi, and Cranberry...no help. I also eat probiotic yogurt everyday. I am a 26 year old married female, and symptoms do not relate to sex, as since this started I have been having VERY LITTLE :( I have had one child. Before this happened I had never experienced so much as a bladder infection. Also prior to the onset of symptoms I had been on a low carb diet for a month and a half which I went off of before I started feeling sick. I know it was stupid, I am not even close to overweight, and it was solely for vanity reasons (wanting to drop weight before summer)....I regret it so much as I will never know if it had anything to do with what is going on now.

I am not really scared so much as frustrated as this has significantly reduced my quality of life. I am zapped for energy, often in pain, and have since become depressed. I have crappy sleep, as I often have to wake up to go to the bathroom and sit there for 10-15 minutes. Do you think these are just bladder infections, or are they kidney infections? I just have a hard time believing that they are bladder infections, since during the first very bad infection the pain started in my back, and the last symptom was in my bladder. Also I have never had any of the typical bladder infection symptoms, the one consistent symptom I have had since the beginning of this has been flank pain. My family doctor seems to just want hand me off to the urologist on this, but its in February....should I ask for another urine culture or blood test. Any ideas? I have a health science background so I am reasonably knowledgable when it comes to physiology.

I know you guys can't diagnose me, but maybe just tell me what it sounds like to you, or how I should approach my doctor about this, who i am seeing again this coming Tuesday.

oh dear i really feel for you, you have a very similar story to me , except i didnt realize i had kidney infections either ad i thought it was my sinuses aswell, but i have had left pain kidney for sometime and i relate to the horrid flank pain and low grade fever im a mum of 3 kids and im 37 its been going on a few years i do get urgency and horrid weeing through the night and there does seem to be pain on and off ewith me aswell , my tests also come back with all the nastys!!!! what did we do to deserve this im glad i now know what im fighting good luck with your appointment and keep going for urines at your docs, i dont even have an appointment good luck love katxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxps be carefull with all those biotics they gave me inflamation of the throat and gut, you are doing the right thing with the yogurt , they sat cranberry , but sometimes barely water is better very dilute xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:angel::angel: